This application relates to techniques and optical devices for optical spectrum analysis.
Optical spectrum analysis uses an optical device to process an optical signal and to extract spectral information from the optical signal. For example, such analysis can identify the frequencies or wavelengths of spectral components in the optical signal and signal levels of the spectral components. The result of such analysis is often represented in form of an optical power spectrum of the optical signal which is a measurement of optical power as a function of optical wavelength or frequency for the spectral components in the optical signal within the operating spectral range of the optical device used to process the optical signal.
Apparatus for performing optical spectrum analysis can be in various configurations and is sometime referred to as optical spectrum analyzers or optical spectrometers. Optical diffraction gratings, optical prisms, optical bandpass filters such as tunable Fabry-Perot filters, and optical interferometers such as Michelson interferometers are examples of optical devices that can be used to perform the optical processing of the optical signal in optical spectrum analysis.